Issue number 35. Coming up to Valentine’s Day. It’s funny how this, the day of lovers, manages to be so loved or… hated! But, as Gainsbourg put it “Dans le mot je t’aime… trop de haine!” (In the words I love you… too much hatred!). Not on this end! Of course, there are still things that seduce us, or bother us intensely… But as for you guys, you can cheat a little or stand us up every now and again, but whatever happens, we still love you. Is that true love?

THE SLOW SET

OK, OK, it wasn’t always memorable… When you had to, for example, dance with someone you would have sooner avoided. Or when you were left sitting on the edge of the dance-floor like a wallflower… Sometimes, you had to put up with your dancing partner’s wandering hands until the song ended… But, besides all that! The slow set was something!

What about when the vibrations were not just from the speakers but from the thumping heartbeats at the idea of approaching the beautiful (male or female) stranger whose eye you had been catching for weeks. Was there a chance you would catch something else?

The vibrations that came from our bodies when your arms went around someone at whom you had, up until then, just stared… You knew you were close to that first kiss, ready to reveal yourself, to bring the mysterious seduction to a close and take things to the next level… Between the excitement of the overly-long wait and the fear of the fantasy not living up to the reality…

The vibrations that came from both places at once, the body and the heart. When a married couple got the chance to share a moment of tenderness, to flirt like the early days, to re-declare their flame, in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by all their friends but at the same time feeling, all at once, alone in the world.

Oh yes, the slow-set was all that. The dreams of the shy, the romantic, the charmers, the flirts, the lovers… Emblematic film scenes like from “La Boum” or “Always”, but for real… The notes of “Only you” by the Platters to “I’ve been loving you” by Otis Redding or “Purple Rain” by Prince, that swept us up in waves of emotion and literally inhabited us from head to toe…

Not to forget the slow songs that we would love to test, to experience the surges, the sweetness, the voice… For them to become our soundtrack. From “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera to “Someone like you” by Adèle... So, any chance we could revise our playlists?

MEAN STREETS

Rue de Rivoli, Paris, 2 p.m. A woman, lost in thought, walks down the street with purpose. A man walks toward her on the same path, they get closer. She steps politely to the right to let him pass. It could be the start of a beautiful story. But the man won’t compliment her on her natural beauty, he won’t watch her walk away with regret, he won’t even try to cheer her up with a corny remark. No, instead he will punch her in the stomach. She is the one who will watch him walk away calmly, dumbstruck, paralysed and winded. Does she know him? Absolutely not. Does he have a reason? How could he?

Does any of this mean anything? Trying to find one would drive you crazy. The street is a place we all share, where we come and go freely. It is sometimes a place of contact, unplanned encounters, enjoyable connections. It remains of course a place of passage, transition, where individuals go from point A to point B, remaining inside their own bubble, whether that be a phone, music, social networks, etc.We must face facts: the street has become a strange place. Unwanted, violent contact, has replaced a total lack of contact that was already regrettable.

So, it’s become the survival of the fittest. We even hear talk of the “urban jungle”. And it’s not just because of the feeling of the crowd and the unbelievable diversity, but because of the animal-like behaviour of the inhabitants.And as hatred creates hatred, this woman, who believed so strongly in beautiful surprises, in the chance that crosses our path, will never look at men in the same way, and especially not those who pass her by on the street.

LOST IN TRANSLATION

Do you speak fluent Montebourg?Not yet perhaps, the language is in its infancy. Our minister pronounces the word people (celebrities) as “Pé-ople”, in the name of the productive rehabilitation of our heritage. But isn’t there already a perfectly good French expression that harks back to the days of “France-Dimanche” or “Ici Paris”: “presse à sensation” (tabloid press)?

It must be said, things have changed since then. In the fifties, the gossip column in “Life” magazine was copied a little later on by “Paris-Match” with the title “les gens”, which translates literally as people. Except it meant nothing, it signified nothing, it even meant the opposite. The crowd, the anonymous… So the weekly magazine adopted the English term “people” and its readers got progressively used to it and when “Voici” came along it became positively popular. Today, in French celebrities are even referred to as “les people”. Evidence of how things have been turned around… But how did we get from that to “pé-ople”… We could even say that by taking the accent off the “é”, it would almost sound like “people”. Well… The term “Presse à sensation” won’t be making a comeback. No more than the expression “Fabriqué en France”, as our minister prefers to say “Made in France”, which is pretty half-hearted.

It’s just like when he agreed to lend his voice to an animated series that goes out on ARTE. Arnaud Montebourg accepted to do so and kept his word, on the pretext that the series was 100 % French. The only thing is, the series is entitled «Silex and the city»… Arnaud Montebourg, champion of the new franglais? Sacré bleu…

THREE HEARTS

The light blue colour, shimmering like the sea, gives us a glimpse – in the opening credits – of a fishing boat starting up. Then the scenes are cut to contrast, like the two men, in love with the same woman. In a village, David’s orange car pulls in after a five-year absence. Somewhere else on a building site, César is moving around in a stripy suit, ready to attend a wedding – that David has also been invited to… Rosalie loves both men, each in a different way.

The confrontation takes off. The rivalry is car-based as David’s little orange car dares to overtake César’s superb Plymouth. Then it shifts to more behavioural issues as David displays an amused stiff upper lip while César is agitated and tormented. In love César is possessive, David, on the other hand seems passive. Rosalie is at a loss and goes from one to the other, without cheating. The trio display the whole gamut of emotions and feelings. Ambiguity, almost complicity develops. César, with his big mouth and huge heart, is intrigued by David: “he’s nice but I still feel like punching him!”. David, at times won over, at time mistrusting, seems to be swept up by Césars’ energy, but is shaken by his distress and anger. The tension rises, with a constant undercurrent of drama. This apparently light-hearted film is in fact an explosive cocktail, a blend of gaiety and seriousness, of laughs and violence. Nature directs part of the plot, with rain or wind interrupting festive occasions. Claude Sautet likes the holiday period and family houses where friends are welcome.

The cast is particularly well chosen. A pleasure! As if they weren’t really acting, as if they were living the part. Montand gives us Montand, a corny actor, a charmer, a talker. Sami Frey is the dark, handsome, leading man. As for Romy Schneider, she never disappoints, radiantly melancholic, as airy as ever, coveted by her two lovers, she will not be possessed by either. Neither an infernal trio nor a “ménage à trois”, we get to choose the ending.

CONJUGATED RIGHTS

Observing people an immortalising everyday scenes with such humour is the signature of the painter Marc Vioulès. His style is somewhere between cartoon and caricature, his luminous paintings depict our society to perfection. And when the subject is couples, he misses nothing! The not-so-exaggerated exaggeration is hilarious! Extract.

COOKING UP A STORM

There are ten of them, ten like the ten fingers they each use to cook. Ten little chefs who defend the quality of their regional produce, around their stronghold of Brive-la-Gaillarde. Les Chefs Gaillards are a group of “bon vivants” who want to turn Brive into “the taste capital in the heart of France”, all in good humour and with good humour.

They are “a gang of mates” who used to meet up at food markets and at the same suppliers. One day, they decided they were “sick of bad food and chefs who show off but don’t do their job”. So they set up the “Tables gaillardes” in April 2013 as a means to highlight a culinary heritage that stretches from the Corrèze to the Dordogne to the Lot, etc. This central “terroir” already so reputed for its gastronomy and filled to the brim with tourists has no need of extra advertising – what it needs is a return to simplicity, at a time when agricultural labels and official “appellations” are popping up everywhere and especially faced with the flashiness of TV cooking programmes.

“We are serious people who don’t take ourselves too seriously, who don’t make too much of a fuss”, according to the President, Jean-Luc Viginiat (Restaurateur in Montauban). They don’t actually say “we are the champions”, even though they are all well-known individually, they are more like the supporters of “savoir-faire”. In September 2013 they organised a free “Toque Show” for 2000 people who were treated to amuse-bouches with three recipes using the three chosen products: foie gras, veal, strawberries.

The product was the star, “to buy the best while keeping the process accessible. But none of us is any better than the others”. They play as a team, like the rugby players in their town, they throw themselves into the scrum in search of inventive, successful results. No individualism but individualities, “we all have strong characters”, and at times not the best!

Without showing off, the “Toqués du gout” were portrayed seriously enjoying themselves in the photographs in the “guide des Tables Gaillardes” where each restaurant promotes a speciality: from truffles with Perigord walnuts, via duck or Limousin beef. The table is open…

RUQUIER’S QUESTION TIME

We were as surprised as you were when we found ourselves enjoying Ruquier’s programme. It was during the “programme for everyone” that France 2 has just launched to boost viewing numbers just before the eight o’ clock news. In fact, we don’t love everything, as it is “pour tous”. So it’s only natural that there is something for everyone.

So, let’s take our bit: where they ask the general public questions on current affairs. The idea is excellent. It changes from the usual brouhaha of the studio audience and reveals itself to be highly instructive. There are times when the unknowns in the audience know more than the contributor-jokers of the inevitable Ruquier gang, with Bénichou or Christine Bravo…This studio audience is calm, it answers quietly, with a smile, it is a good sport and sometimes a really good winner. The banal, everyday news consumer can come off better than the humourists who are too concerned with their, at times dodgy, puns. And the audience members sometimes know the name of the first single President – Gaston Doumergue – or has already heard of the little van that has been transformed into a mobile beauty salon but two young women in Paris…

A hundred people come to test their knowledge and it is a pleasure to play with them.Example:- Who said: “I’m waiting for the first gat head of state”? (Daniel Cohn Bendit)

120€ au lieu de 180€

LORD SM

Lord SM was set up in 2009, and making luxury from vintage is something they know. It all began with the designer reworking morning suits to make them more « Rock Couture ». Slowly but surely she let her inspiration develop with scarves, bags, leather jackets, tunics, dresses… The terms « Union Jack » or « Mini Jack » are used for the scarves only she knows the secret to. Her « Ring of Fire » scarves are the stuff dreams are made of and we have a total crush on her fringed bags. Her pieces already have a cult following and her Spring/Summer 2013 collection was presented at Tranoï. The world is Lord SM’s oyster.

L’ACHARNŒUR CHOOSES

A Mini-Jack in vintage fabric and noble materials. Silk, cotton voile, silk velvet and leather all blended in a unique patchwork. The cut is the result of hours of work, stitching and imagination, which makes it adaptable to all shapes. The model is unisex and universal. 100% made in Paris, 100% Lord SM. New pieces available in the same shades.

190€ au lieu de 298€

UNI&VINTAGE

Behind Uni&Vintage is the eye and imagination of one Christine Ekodo-Delaunay. So, what is her USP? She cuts up vintage clothes, scarves and fabrics, puts them together if needed with a specially dyed satin to help the fabrics blend and makes an entirely new piece. Skirts, shirts, trousers, tunics: the Uni&Vintage line proposes exclusive cuts that fall differently according to colours and prints. As a result, each design is unique and numbered as part of a broader collection.

A UNI&VINTAGE DESIGN ONLY FOR L’ACHARNŒUR

A vintage Lanvin headscarf, satin dyed in verdigris, a « kimono » cut, together form the skirt specially made for l’Acharnœur. The multitude of colours blend delicately as the bands superimpose with modernity. The inner belt is adaptable so the skirt falls perfectly on everyone regardless of size. The outer belt dresses the entire waist for an ultra-refined effect. This piece is number 1045 of the Uni&Vintage brand.

Let It Be Men - 54€

Created by two jewellery fans (including the ex-founder of Mercerie Moderne), Let It Be is a Parisian brand that is still quite low key. The charm lies in a collection of cheeky, sometimes ecumenical pieces but are not worn just as symbols. On the contrary: Let It Be is aimed at the liberated men or women who have decided to be themselves, instead of defining herself relative to others… Who wear Let It Be lay claim to nothing, except beauty!

THE LET IT BE SELECTIONFOR L’ACHARNŒUR

This bracelet is a key piece in the collection. It is made from leather and white magnetic metal, it is both male and chic, elegant and rock and roll. Perfect alliance between sobriety and confirmed style. A stand-out piece sold exclusively on l’Acharnœur.

Let It Be - 63€

Created by two jewellery fans (including the ex-founder of Mercerie Moderne), Let It Be is a Parisian brand that is still quite low key. The charm lies in a collection of cheeky, sometimes ecumenical pieces but are not worn just as symbols. On the contrary: Let It Be is aimed at the liberated men or women who have decided to be themselves, instead of defining herself relative to others… Who wear Let It Be lay claim to nothing, except beauty!

THE LET IT BE SELECTIONFOR L’ACHARNŒUR

This bracelet is a key piece in the collection. It is made from soft leather and white metal, it is both chic and gothic, ultra-precious and rock and roll. The clasp dresses the wrist with a refinement and originality that attracts all women, regardless of their age or style. A stand-out piece sold exclusively on l’Acharnœur and also available without the skull.

Aline Lang - 80€

Aline Lang is a photographer and graphic artist who one day, for fun, drew a bracelet watch like a piece of film. A designer at Cartier, Omega, liked it and oriented her into watch face design. Her first watch was for the bicentenary of the French revolution. Since then she has designed over forty watches, including one for the Bibliothèque nationale. Her rare and unusual creations are born from her inspiration and are produced as limited editions.

THE ACHARNŒUR’S SELECTION

The Gallops watch. An homage to chronophotography (the decomposition of a movement by a succession of photographs) and to Muybridge’s work that in 1878, proved that the four legs of a horse leave the ground at the same time when the horse gallops. This watch was first made by a big luxury house before being edited by the Musée d’Orsay. Its leather bracelet and particularly flat face makes this version timeless.

Cyrto

Cyrto is extremely shy and prefers the shadows to the light. She is an illustrator and graphic artist and is spending more and more time on her true calling: creating fantastic worlds from her own emotion, impulse and imagination. She invents but does not reinvent. She follows no trend or influence but instead takes all her inspiration from her inner self. Her uniquely artistic approach will soon be visible through her writing and directing.

CYRTO GLOVES

The whole idea comes from the glove as second skin. Cyrto creates indelible designs on gloves evoking ramifications, sketches… connections. Each piece is unique and comes only from her imagination. There are no rules, no hierarchy, the cells form every instant and grow together through paths and encounters. Her lines tell of a fantastic world that is almost invisible to the naked eye. Between tattoo art and a pseudo-botanic vision, the lines of the hand take on a new meaning.

Gloves made to order.

The approach is entirely artistic. The final piece is handed over in exchange for an envelope in which the client « gives » the amount they wish.

The Acharnœur will act as intermediary but takes no commission. For more information: avenue@acharnoeur.com

PARIS’ SECRET WEAPON

Feel like smiles and “bonne bouffe”? Head for the 17th arrondissement in Paris. In a neighbourhood that has a few southern-flavoured addresses, you can now find “La Rosa”. And despite a level of competition that goes well beyond a few streets, this Italian restaurant stands out already after only a month in business.

As you walk in the door, there is a genuine spontaneity that is never overdone in the sing-song Italian or “Frantalian” welcome. We like. The two small rooms have been decorated in chic bistro style. While we do get a little transalpine taste with a few decorative objects or artisanal products here and there, the owners have had the good taste to avoid the chequered tablecloth clichés that one should only find in long-established local eateries.

But the extraordinary thing is the menu. Words like “clams”, “black truffles”, “mascarpone cream” associated with “garlic”, “fresh pasta” or “hazelnuts” which mean that you have no choice but to go for starter, main course and dessert. In addition, why not, given the reasonable prices? Set menus for between 17€ and 19€, dishes costing 16€ rather than 25€… And when the plates arrive, you are glad you trusted your intuition. The only thing you didn’t plan for was the quantity! The servings are more than generous to the extent that a customer nearby warned “You should let people know…; Your antipasti plate isn’t a starter, it is a main course!”. Yes, but just like in Italy!

So we tend to imagine a typical Italian “Mama” in the kitchen. One of those who takes one look at you and decides to cheer you up with some decent food. Except the Mama is a young Italian chef Emiliano Marzini who has worked in some of Tuscany’s best restaurants. Every day he proposes a personal cuisine with daily specials and an à la carte menu made daily with fresh products according to his inspiration of the moment. And as he is working in the kitchen, his wife Bérénice is making sure everything goes smoothly in the restaurant. And it does. What a treat!

EXHIBITION - PARIS Métro Les Halles or Bourse Line 4 ou 3

Have you met Martine? Whatever your answer, the time is right to meet her now! The “Musée en Herbe” welcomes visitors into a giant book to meet with this legendary heroine and get to know the work of her creator, the author Marcel Marlier. Whether or not you are in disguise, a treasure hunt guides you through the story of the little girl who is sixty this year! An interactive exhibition that is not without humour and also draws a parallel with the changes in society during the second half of the 20th century.

BLUE VALENTINE

The present is bought. The place, OK. The guy we have. This year, St. Valentine ’s Day should go like clockwork. But, from the get go you get the unpleasant impression that yet again, the day is not going to go to plan.

The alarm doesn’t go off. You slip on your new ballet pumps because you know you’ll be running. The heels will have to wait. Here you go, chasing against the clock for the 9:24 RER. The ballet pumps are too big, the hair too free, the look a bit too “just out of bed”, but you keep going, head high. You can see the train, you jump into the nearest door just as the buzzer is ringing… and lose your right shoe in the process. The doors close. S%#t! Once you sit down, you decide to send a photo of your feet to your love, looking for moral support: “Happy Valentine’s Day, mine will be barefoot in the park… it’s a long story…” Then you get a message from your boss “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that as an excuse to go buy new shoes!” Of course, you sent the message to the wrong person. S%#t! Again!

Just then you come to the realisation that, in your precipitation, you got on the wrong train… But it’s no reason to get down: this Valentine’s Day won’t finish like last year where your man, thinking it was a good idea, decided to go all out: massage, candles, romantic music, champagne... A few minutes later the bed caught fire… Not like the previous year either when most of the ingredients for the planned dinner stayed in the supermarket trolley…

You finally get to the office, you spot a beautiful bouquet of roses in front of your computer. Your heart leaps, you send off a rapid text message to your man, to the right person this time, then you rush into your meeting. The answer: “I wish they were from me, but they’re not.” S%#t! Number three.

“Having said that, enjoy them because I just left your gift behind me in the cab…” In the end, tonight will be a quiet date night in with no fuss, but together, at least. What else?

DRAW ME A WOMAN

As a teenager I tended to stay in, a lot, and that suited me just fine. It meant I could spend hours in my room reading “Tank Girl”. I had discovered this cartoon in my mother’s few issues of Gotham magazine.

Tank Girl was probably the craziest girl I had ever “come across”, until now! Impossibly vulgar, fantastic looking, constantly cursing… She strode through the Australian desert in her tank with her pet kangaroo. I was fascinated by this girl who was the polar opposite of myself. I am pretty discreet, I like when people are polite and respectful to one another. But this girl… A form of escape perhaps? In any case, I lived my teenage rebellious years vicariously through her. Minus the frustration! We were much different, but nevertheless we were “close”. Yes, there was a sort of admiration. But no envy, no love…

In my bed I would examine each story in detail, follow every plotline however intricate like the drawings which were very rich. They truly filled the page! I loved to find new details… Until the day I discovered a tattoo… It didn’t appear every time as the artist allowed himself the freedom to change things. Not always in the same place either. Sometimes on a shoulder, sometimes on an arm.That tattoo was a sign of a state of mind. That of “Tank Girl”, the cartoon strip, the graphic style… I was fourteen. I copied it on to a sheet of paper… I hesitated for a long time. But at the age of nineteen I took the plunge! I had the same one tattooed on my forearm. Not for any ideological reasons but for what the cartoon strip meant to me.

It was a way to remember the happy times I spent reading the stories… But how could I forget! I bought the complete works a few years ago. I enjoy it all with the same passion today. Even better, this edition is annotated and explains many of the writer’s musical and cultural references. It has helped me discover other artists…